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9 fake UN-marked number plates among arrested Delhi ‘godman’ Chaitanyananda's assets
Accused of mass molestation and ₹122 crore trust fraud, ‘Godman’ Saraswati evaded arrest for 50 days since August before being held early Sunday.
Self-styled ‘godman’ Chaitanyananda Saraswati, former chairman of Delhi’s Sri Sharda Institute of Indian Management, who has been arrested and named in several FIRs, allegedly used nine forged number plates bearing the letters “UN”. Authorities have frozen more than ₹8 crore across 18 bank accounts and 28 fixed deposits in his name.
Saraswati, accused of offences ranging from the mass molestation of female students to financial irregularities linked to a trust worth ₹122 crore, had been on the run for around 50 days since August before being arrested in the early hours of Sunday.
Investigators also found that he held two passports, each bearing different fathers’ names and places of birth. His assets include a Volvo, a BMW, and a Range Rover. The Volvo and BMW were seized after police uncovered the forged “UN” plates. One FIR records, “…the Transport Department, Sarai Kale Khan, New Delhi, was asked to verify ownership. The report confirmed that no registration permission was issued for the diplomatic number ‘39 UN 1’, and no such number exists in ministry records.”
The molestation case stems from a complaint filed on August 5 by PA Murali, administrator of the Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, which runs the college. The six-page FIR contains a statement from a 21-year-old student and cites 32 other women who allegedly described repeated harassment by the monk to the college council.
To date, five FIRs have been lodged in Delhi against Saraswati under charges including molestation, cheating, forgery, and fraud, while investigators continue to probe his extensive web of assets, properties, and financial holdings tied to the ₹122 crore trust.
Saraswati faces five criminal cases to date
Saraswati currently faces five criminal cases. The first was filed in Defence Colony in 2009, followed by a molestation complaint lodged by a student in Vasant Kunj in 2016. Three further FIRs were registered this year on charges including molestation, cheating and forgery.
The Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham has since cut ties with Saraswati after discovering that he allegedly established a trust through fraudulent means, transferring land and funds into it, colluding with trustees to divert assets, and siphoning off about ₹40 lakh each month using forged lease agreements.
An FIR filed on August 25 in connection with the forgery records the testimony of his driver, Vikram Singh Tomar, who admitted that number plates were swapped on Saraswati’s instructions whenever he travelled outside Delhi or visited sensitive areas.
According to police, Saraswati also carried a Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) card and often posed as a VIP, at times claiming to represent the PMO and at others presenting himself as a US citizen.
The mass molestation case, which is currently before the court, includes accounts from both current and former students. Police said they are examining every aspect of the allegations, including incidents during college events, messages allegedly sent by Saraswati, and threats made against students’ families.
“The investigation has uncovered both financial irregularities and evidence of widespread harassment. This includes coercion, sexual harassment, and intimidation of students by the accused,” deputy commissioner of police (southwest) Amit Goel said.
(With inputs from Jignasa Sinha)
